Railway-crossing.



l Io. 721,129. PATENTED FEB.17, 1903. G. A. MORENO.

RAILWAY CROSSING.

APPLIIOATION FILED NOV.10, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- (av 5426??? 5 4M N0 MODEL.

I PATENTED FEB. 17, 1903. O. A. MORENO.

RAILWAY CROSSING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.10, 1902,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. MORENQ OF-ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

RAILWAY-CROSSING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent, No. 721,129, datedFebruary 17, 1903.

Application filed November 10, 1902. Serial No. 130,705. (No model.)

in Railway-Crossings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, such as will enable others skilled in the :art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in

which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a crossing provided with my invention.Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one of the corner-joints therefor.Fig. 3 is a sectional view of Fig. 2 on line 3 3. Fig. 4 is a sectionalview on line 4 4. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form ofconstruction, and Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the same on line 6 6of Fig. 5.

This invention relates to improvements in railway-crossings; and itconsists in certain new and useful features of detail constructionthereof, all as hereinafter more fully described, and specificallypointed out in the claims.

Theobject of the invention is to provide a substantially noiselesscrossing which when worn may be easily removed andeconomically renewedwithout any of the inconvenience incident to the removal andrenewal ofthe crossing sections or plates in general use,

which plates are generally of hardened metal fitted in the crossingportion of intersecting rails or crossing-castings and there held bysofter metal poured into the interstices to hold it more securely inposition. To that end I substitute for such metal plate or fillerblock ablock of wood or fibrous material, either of natural wood or amanufactured block, adapted for ready insertion and removal, whose costis but a fractional part of the costly members now employed and whichwill render the crossings where they are used substantially noiseless inpractical use, said fibrous block being so formed that when it is inposition the grain thereof will run vertically and present thesubstantially uncompressible ends thereof at the upper and lower facesthereof.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the rails, which in my improvedcrossing are formed, preferably, in one piece withoutjoints and mayintersect each other at any angle. Integral with the rail-sections A andat the points of intersection thereof are formed socket portions 1,having central openings 2, which openings are provided. with bottomportions 3, extending, entirely across the same. Formed in the sidewalls of the socket portions 1 are vertical channels 4, as shown,extending to the upper face of said socket 7 members. The walls of thesocket 2 are preferably vertical, and in the socket is placed a block 5,which rests upon the said bottom 3 and extends verticallyeither flushwith or slightly above the tread of the rails A, though preferably flushwith the tread. Formed in the upper face of the block 5 are channels 6,which channels are preferably slightly more shallow and narrower thanthe flange-channels B in the metallic rails A, so that as thewheel-flanges pass through said channels,

riding on a metallic cross 8 therein, the fibers ofthe block 5 willbecome slightly compressed thereat, and thereby the better adapted toresist abrasion incident to use. In the channels 6, formed in the upperface of said block, is located said metallic cross 8, the arms of whichare of sufficient length to project for a short distance beyond theedges of said filler-block, said protruding ends lying in the channelB,formed in the upper surface of the ordinary track-rails. The impact ofthe flange portion of car wheels against the fibrous material throughsaid filler-block will have more or less tendency to expand the block.,5laterally, thereby the more socurely holding it in position within thesocket 2 and securing it against removal. The metallic member 8 issecured in position on the filler-block in any suitable manner, as byspikes which pass through the same into the filler-block. To'permitremoval of the blocks 5 when worn sufiiciently to make renewaladvisable, the spikes 7 are driven into said blocks, said spikes restingin the channels 4 and projectingbeyond the metal shell 1 sufficientlyfar to permit grasping the same compact block of fibrous material willanswer the same purposesuch, for instance, as papier-mach-but I considerit advisable to have the fibers or grain of the wood extendsubstantially in a vertical direction where wood is used. Within saidchannels 6 rests the said metallic cross 8, which is designed as awear-plate, whereby the abrasive action of the flanges of wheels passingover the same will be partially removed from the fibrous block andaffect chiefly said metallic member, which may be renewed withoutdisturbing the block beneath the same when desired. It will be apparentthat where the member 8 is formed as shown the projecting ends thereofwhich lap over the rails should be provided with substantially flatlower faces and the upper face provide an incline 8", so that the flangeof the wheel will ride gradually up said incline until it mounts thehighest portion thereof, which is centrally over the fillerblock, wherethe natural resiliency of the metal of said metallic cross willpermitslight depression thereof against the block or into the channelthereof if it is worn slightly, which block at this point bears thewhole burden of the load thrown thereon, whereby the combined sustainingpower of the cross and the said block will be most effective and the carwill ride over the slight depression, if any, remainin; unfilled in therail-surface without any of the jarring or jolting incident totrack-crossings as now formed, and the action of the fibers of saidblock will be the same where the cross is provided as where it is notused, except that thereby the block will be better protected againstabrasion, and in addition to its sustaining power the strength of themetallic member will be added thereto, wherebyan easy spring-likesustaining means will be afforded without any of the disadvantagesincident to the use of a springsustained filler-block, and when themetal of said wear-plate 8 is worn sufficiently to permit the treadportion of the wheel to contact with the filler-block such contact willbe found to be practically noiseless because of the character of saidblock, which takes the place of the hardened metallic crossing-blocks incommon use, which are very objectionable because of the amount of noiseresulting from cars crossing thereover.

I am aware that minor changes in the construction, arrangement, andcombination of the several parts of my crossing may be made andsubstituted for those herein shown and described without in the leastdeparting from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described myinvention,what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

1. In a railway-crossing or the like, a fillerblock of fibrous material,the grain of which extends substantially vertically; substantially asdescribed.

2. In a railway-crossing or the like, a fillerblock of fibrous material,the grain of which extends substantially vertically and havingflange-channels formedin its upper face; substantially as described.

3. In a railway-crossing or the like, a fillerblock of fibrous material,the grain of which extends substantially vertically and having flangechannels formed in its upper face smaller than the flange-channels ofthe metal rails in conjunction with which it is to be used;substantially as'described.

4. In a railway-crossing orthe like, a casting formed with a pluralityof sockets therein, and filler-blocks in said sockets formed of fibrousmaterial; substantially as described.

5. In a railway-crossing or the like, a casting formed with apluralityof sockets therein, and filler-blocks in said sockets formed of fibrousmaterial, the grain of which extends substantially vertically;substantially as described.

6. In a railway-crossing or the like, a casting formed with a pluralityof sockets therein, and filler-blocks in said sockets formed of fibrousmaterial, the grain of which extends substantially I vertically andhaving flangechannels formed in their upper faces; substantially asdescribed.

7. In a railway-crossing or the like, acasting formed with a pluralityofsockets therein, and filler-blocks in said sockets formed of fibrousmaterial, the grain of which extends substantially vertically and havingflangechannels formed in their upper faces smaller than theflange-channels of the metal rails in conjunction with which they are tobe used; substantially as described.

8. In a railway-crossing or the like, acasting formed with a pluralityofsockets therein, channels in the walls thereof, a bottom integral withsaid walls, a fibrous block in said socket, the grain of which blockextends in a vertical direction, and spikes extending into said blockwith head portions projecting beyond the wall of said socket, wherebythey may be engaged to facilitate the removal of said block;substantially as described.

9. In a railway-crossing or the like, a fillerblock of fibrous materialhaving flange-channels formed in its upper face and having plane facesat its sides and bottom; substantially as described.

10. In a railway-crossing or the like, a fillerblock of fibrous materialhaving fiange-channels formed in its upper face smaller than thechannels formed in the metal rails in conjunction with which it is to beused and having plane faces at its sides and bottom; substantially asdescribed.

11. In a railway-crossing'or the like, a fillerblock of fibrousmaterial, the grain of which extends substantially vertically and havingflange-channels formed in its upper face, and a metallic fillingmemberin said channel; substantially as described.

12. In a railway-crossing or the like, a filler- ICC ' extendssubstantially block of fibrous material, the grain of which 7 verticallyand having flange-channels formed in its upper face, and a metallicfilling member in said channel, said filling member overlappingthecontiguous rail-sections; substantially as described.

13. In a railway-crossing or the like, a fillerblock of fibrousmaterial, the grain of which extends substantially vertically and havingflange-channels formed in its upper face, and a metallic member in saidchannel, said filling member overlapping the contiguous railsections,thereby forming a substantially spring wearing-plate cooperating withsaid block and rail sections to sustain a load; substantially asdescribed.

14. In a railway-crossing or the like, a fillerblock of non-metallicmaterial with channels formed in its upper face, and a metallicwearplate therein, which plate is provided with inclined end portionsoverlapping the contig-j uous rail-sections; substantially as described.15. In a railway-crossing or the like, a casting formed with a pluralityof sockets therein, filler-blocks in said sockets formed of fibrousmaterial, and Wear-plates resting in channels formed in said blocks,with the outer ends of said wear-plates overlapping the contiguousrail-sections; substantially as described.

16. In a railway-crossing or the like, a casting formed with a pluralityof sockets therein filler-blocks in said sockets formed of fibrousmaterial, and wear-plates resting in channels so arranged that the metalforms a bearing surface for the flange of car-Wheels and the wood.serves as a bearing for the tread of the wheels; substantially asdescribed.

19. In a railway-crossing or the like, a casting formed with a sockettherein, fillersin said socket composed of metal and non-metallicsubstance, the metal serving as a support for the flange of wheelspassing thereover, and the non-metallic substance serving as a supportfor the tread portion of such Wheels; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 7th day of November, 1902.

CHARLES A. MORENO.

Witnesses:

- W H. SCOTT,

FREDERICK H. GIBBS.

